


New Baby Blues

by wyomingparmesan



Series: Ronniecoln: The Later Years [4]
Category: The Loud House (Cartoon)
Genre: Aged Up, Breastfeeding, F/M, Family, Romance, parenting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-01
Updated: 2018-10-01
Packaged: 2019-07-21 01:33:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16149746
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wyomingparmesan/pseuds/wyomingparmesan
Summary: Follow Ronnie Anne and Lincoln's first few days as new parents to their daughter, Lexi Santiago-Loud. One shot.





	New Baby Blues

"Careful"

"I know, honey"

"We're almost there"

"Lincoln, she's a baby, not a porcelain doll"

Lincoln walked slowly up the stairs, in front of Ronnie Anne as she carried their newborn daughter in a carseat.

"I know, I know, but these stairs are dangerous, and you just had a baby, I don't want either of you to fall," he said as he held out his hands.

"Hey, you're the one who's walking backwards up the stairs, ya weirdo," Ronnie Anne said.

Lincoln had been a nervous wreck since the baby was born, checking up on her every five minutes. Today was the day that they got to bring her home from the hospital, and it still hadn't sunk in yet that they were parents.

Lincoln finally released his breath as they reached the entrance of their apartment. A line of pink balloons on the door, a note stuck to them. He picked it up and read it.

_Congrats Linky, we thought we'd go ahead and start spoiling our niece._

_Love,_

_your sisters._

"Aw, my sisters left Lexi a little welcoming present," he said, noticing the pink box sitting beneath his feet.

He picked it up, and opened the door, allowing Ronnie Anne to go inside.

"Welcome home, baby girl," she said as she sat the car seat on the floor.

Lincoln knelt down in front of the seat, and took down the cover, revealing a small baby with soft, white hair. He slowly unbuckled her, and picked her up, to which she began to fuss. "Hey, shh it's okay," he said to her. "Daddy's got you."

Ronnie Anne came over to them, and grabbed Lexi's little hands. "Are you ready to see your room?", she said playfully. "Come on."

They headed down the hall, and stopped in front of a door that had an pink "L" hanging on the front. They opened it up to reveal a small room. The walls were pink, and filled with giraffes. It had a small pink, flowery crib in the corner, with a matching changing table. It wasn't an ideal nursery by any means, but it was just the right size for a baby.

Lincoln lifted the infant up slightly, showing her the room. "Do you like it, Lexi?", he said. "Your aunts helped us put it together."

"I still think we may have went a bit overboard on how much stuff we bought," Ronnie Anne said.

"Are you kidding? Nothing is too much for our little girl," Lincoln said.

Their baby shower had been more than a success, thanks to Lincoln's sisters. They had bought every piece of baby furniture imaginable, from a crib to a swing to a bouncy seat. Their apartment was small, but luckily they were able to make everything look nice.

"You're right," Ronnie Anne said. "She's probably sleepy though, and so am I." She took Lexi from Lincoln's arms. "We're gonna get take a nap."

Lincoln gave her and Lexi a kiss on the cheek. "Okay, sleep well."

As Ronnie Anne went to get some well deserved shut eye, Lincoln went to inspect the box his sisters had left him.

He picked it up and sat it on the coffee table in front of him. It was medium sized, and he expected nothing less from his sisters.

He opened it, and the first thing he saw left him is awe. It was a small orange and pink blanket, with Lexi's name printed on it. He remembered how he and each of his sisters had their own blanket when they were babies. Each of his sisters' kids had one too, and each one was special.

The next thing was a pair of booties, handmade by Leni. They were even made in her signature mint green color.

Luan had sent her a pacifier with a clown on it, as well as some onesies featuring her own puns on them.

Other presents included a lullaby CD from Luna, a baby sports jersey from Lynn, and some stuffed animals from Lily.

It had become a tradition in the Loud family, that when one of the siblings had their first child, that the other ten would give them a box of presents.

He put everything back in the box, and grabbed his phone so he could text each of his sisters and thank them for all the wonderful gifts.

Some replied back with heart and kiss emojis, and others yelled at him to get some rest.

He got up and headed down the hall to his and Ronnie Anne's bedroom. He watched as her chest would rise and fall as she slept.

Her labor had been rough. He knew she needed it.

Then he turned to look in his daughter's room. She looked so small compared to her crib, and just the sight of her made his heart flutter.

He and the love of his life had made this little person. She was the perfect combination of both of them. Her mom's tan skin, and her dad's snowy white hair.

She'd only been in his life for three days, yet he felt like he'd known her for years.

He'll never forget the moment he saw her for the first time. Ronnie Anne said that's the most she'd seen him cry since their wedding.

He'd never left her side either. The first night in the hospital, he stayed up all night just so Ronnie Anne could rest.

He was the first one to feed her, to change her diaper, and he even learned how to swaddle.

He had all of his older sisters, and his mom offer to come stay with them for a few days. He'd told them no for now, as he wanted to see how well he and Ronnie could do on their own.

He had two choices.

He could either stand there and watch the baby sleep, or he could sleep himself. He didn't want to take the chance of the tv being turned up too loud and waking Lexi.

He entered his room, and climbed into bed with his wife. He laid there scrolling through social media, answering texts from various people giving them congratulations, and played some games.

He felt Ronnie Anne roll over, throwing her arm over his stomach. "Get some sleep," she mumbled.

"I'm staying awake in case Lexi wakes up," Lincoln said, grabbed her hand in his.

"You don't have to watch her like a hawk, ya know," Ronnie Anne said. "She'll cry if she needs something."

Lincoln put down his phone, and turned over so that he was facing her. "You're right, I just can't stop looking at her."

Ronnie Anne giggled. "I've noticed," she said. "She's already a Daddy's Girl."

"Well, she does have my hair," he said, a cheeky smile on his face.

"You're such a dork," she said, leaning forward and giving him a kiss. "But that's why I married you."

He pouted. "I thought you married me because you love me?", he said, playfully.

She rolled her eyes. "Okay, you got me there."

Before Lincoln could respond, the sound of crying could be heard.

"Uh oh, there's our cue," he said.

"I'll get her this time," Ronnie Anne said. "You can rest."

"Alright, give her kisses for me," he said.

Ronnie Anne got up to attend to the baby, while Lincoln decided that he did need some sleep.

She walked into the nursery, to see Lexi crying, her little face red and wrinkled. She picked her up gently.

"What's the matter, sweetie?", she asked, bouncing her gently. "Are you hungry?"

She headed into the kitchen, where many containers of formula awaited. The idea of breastfeeding crossed her mind, and she was willing to try it. Back at the hospital, the nurse had showed her what to do, but it had been unsuccessful. Lexi wasn't getting any milk, so they suggested to wait a few days as sometimes it takes a bit for the milk to come in.

So for now, formula feeding was the way to go.

Ronnie Anne got out a small pot, and filled it with water. She placed it on the stove, and while waiting for it to boil, she took Lexi into the living room.

She got out the small swing that they had received at their baby shower, and placed her in it. The baby didn't seem too happy to be away from her mom, but as soon as she felt the swing start to move, it calmed her down a bit.

"That should keep you occupied until I get your bottle ready," Ronnie Anne said, pulling up the blanket so that Lexi was nice and snug.

She went back into the kitchen, where the water had started to boil. She quickly turned it off, allowing it to cool.

Once cooled, she poured it into the bottle. She reaches up only the cabinet and got out a container of formula, setting it down next to the bottle.

She opened it, and put in a scoop of formula. She shook it until it was all mixed, and then squirted some on her wrist.

"Just right," she said. "Okay baby, Mommy is coming."

She went back into the living room, to see that Lexi had fallen asleep in her swing. She felt as though she should be mad, but that was impossible. She was exhausted, the baby was exhausted. It's no wonder she fell asleep.

She sat the bottle down on the coffee table, so that it'd be there for when she wakes up. She sat down on the couch, watching the swing go back and forth as her little girl snoozed.

She heard her phone buzz, and took it out of her pocket. It was a text from her brother that read:

_Hey Nini, I hope you and the baby are doing well. Lori, the kids, and I will come visit in a few days. Congrats again, little sis. You'll do great. Love you. Bobby._

She smiled as she looked at her screen. Over the past few weeks, she and Lincoln both had gotten lots of encouragement. It really felt great when it came from family too.

She looked over to the swing as Lexi began to fuss. She walked over to it, and turned it off. She picked her up, and went back to the couch.

She rocked the baby slightly. "Hang on, I got you," Ronnie Anne said softly.

She sat down, and grabbed the bottle. Though, unfortunately for her, Lexi refused to take it.

"Aw, come on baby," Ronnie Anne said. "This is good stuff."

Lexi continued to cry, and refused the bottle every time it was offered to her.

Ronnie Anne shut her eyes, and pinched the bridge of her nose with her free hand. This was her first real challenge as a parent. She thought about waking Lincoln up and asking him for help, but he needed rest too.

She tried giving her the bottle one more time, only for the baby to turn her head.

Ronnie Anne let out a sigh of desperation. "Come on, why won't you eat?"

Lexi turned her head slightly, and she started to fuss. Ronnie Anne's eyes widened, and she sighed with relief.

"I think I know what you want," she said. She sat Lexi down in her lap, and reached her hands to the back of her shirt. She unclipped her bra, and pulled it off through the top of her shirt.

She lifted her shirt ever so slightly, so that her breast was showing, and brought Lexi up to it. As if it was instinct, the baby put it in her mouth, and began sucking away.

"Looks like my milk came in after all," Ronnie Anne said softly. She gave the baby a kiss on the head. She sighed with relief, as she could now relax.

She grabbed the remote from the table, and turned on the tv.

Watching TV while having your baby on your boobs was different, but she definitely didn't mind it. It was like a new bonding experience.

Ronnie Anne got entertained, while her baby got to eat.

She heard a noise behind her, and looked to see Lincoln standing in the doorway, rubbing his eyes.

He walked over and draped his arms over the back of the couch. "How are my girls doing?"

Ronnie Anne turned around to look at him. "Oh, we're both just fine."

Lincoln's eyes widened with joy as they made their way to her breasts. "You got your milk?!"

She nodded, a smile on her face. "I did. She wouldn't stop crying until I gave it to her."

He came around and sat next to her. "Oh baby," he said, rubbing Lexi's hair. "You're doing so good."

"So, this will be my life now, I walk around the house with a baby on my boob," Ronnie Anne said. "And you," she turned to Lincoln. "Get to change the diapers."

He grimaced. "Aw man," he said, holding his nose. "I think my job will start shortly too."

Ronnie Anne laughed. "Hey, I think it's only fair, since I make the food, so you get to take care of the other end."

Lexi unlatched, and Ronnie Anne brought her up to her shoulder. She patted her back until the baby spit up, gagging as the small trail of milk dripped down her shoulder.

"Good girl," Ronnie Anne said as she laid the baby back in her lap. "And now while I go get cleaned up, Daddy gets to change you."

Lincoln got a smile on his face as his daughter was put into his arms. "Hi baby girl," he said. "Let's go get you cleaned up."

He headed into her nursery, laying her on the small changing table.

"Alright, let's see what we have here," he said, taking the straps off of her diaper.

He had changed many diapers in his youth, but this time was different. This was his own child.

He pulled the diaper open, gagging as he saw the contents.

"Pull yourself together, Lincoln, you've done this before," he said to himself.

He grabbed the container of wipes, and began to clean her bottom.

Lexi let out a cry as the cold wipe touched her butt.

"I know, I know, it's cold, huh?", he said, taking another wipe out of the box.

Once her butt was clean, he threw the dirty wipes and diaper into the trash. He grabbed a clean diaper from the table and strapped it on her.

"Okay, look I'm all done," he said as he picked her up. He rocked her, trying to soothe her cries. "No need to be so upset."

He looked over to see Ronnie Anne standing in the doorway. "Good job, Dad," she said, walking up to him. "I ordered us a pizza since I don't think either of us feel like cooking tonight."

"Sounds good," Lincoln said. "I think this little one is gonna go down again soon."

"Yeah, she looks tired," Ronnie Anne said, rubbing Lexi's hair. "We won't get much along time with her around, so why not take advantage."

Lincoln looked at her. "I like the way you think," he said.

She raised a brow. "I know what you're thinking, and the answer is no," she said, crossing her arms. "I just had a baby."

Lincoln rolled his eyes. "I wasn't thinking of  _that_ ," he said. "I just…really want to spend time with you. I wanna hug you, and kiss you, and cuddle up on the couch."

Ronnie Anne laid her head on his shoulder. "I want that too, that's why I ordered us a pizza," she said, looking up at him.

He gave her a kiss on the head. "I know, and I'm looking forward to it," he said. "Let me just put her to bed."

He walked over to the crib, and put Lexi in it. She stretched out her little arms as she began to fall asleep.

The new parents watched her for a minute, then they left the room, turning out the lights as they went out.

"Good night, Lexi"

* * *

Movie and pizza nights were a common event in Ronnie Anne and Lincoln's relationship. They'd put on the cheesiest movie they could find, and would use it as background noise. They'd sit and eat while they talk about random things. Sometimes they'd even make out a little.

Tonight was a bit different, as they had a new member of the house. They turned the movie down as low as they could get it while still being able to hear it, and their talks turned into whispers.

"So is this the part where she finds out that her husband was cheating on? Again?", Ronnie Anne said as she took another bite of her pizza.

"Yep, and then she finds out that it's with her sister," Lincoln said, wiping his hands on his pants.

"God this movie is so bad," Ronnie Anne said, trying not to laugh too loud. "How can people actually watch this and enjoy it?"

Lincoln shrugged. "Dunno, Lori and Leni love it, though," he said.

"Of course they do, they're the definition of cheesy," Ronnie Anne said.

"Cheesier than this pizza?", Lincoln said, smirking.

Ronnie Anne rolled her eyes. "You act more like Luan every day," she said.

"Aw, you know you love it," he said, reaching to grab her hand.

Ronnie Anne leaned forward and gave him a kiss. "I love  _you_ ," she said, squeezing his hand.

He kissed her back, going deeper this time. "I love you too, pretty mama," Lincoln said, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Ooh,  _papá caliente_ ," Ronnie Anne said, moving closer to Lincoln.

She put her mouth on his, wrapping her arms around his neck to pull him in deeper. He cupped his hands around her face. They scooted closer until Lincoln fell on top of her, their lips still together.

They laid there, pulling each other in with each move of their lips. Her arms around his neck, moving slowly upwards to his hair. His hands on each side her head, keeping him propped up on his elbows.

Their lips released, keeping their faces close. Their noses touching, and they could feel each other's breath on their skin.

"I feel like we're in high school again," Ronnie Anne said, trying to catch her breath. "But you're even more hot now."

A blush fell across Lincoln's face. "Aw, and you're still so beautiful," he said, pushing a piece of hair out of her face.

Lincoln let himself relax, laying his head on Ronnie Anne's chest, and pulling his arms into his chest.

She put her hands on his head, pulling it in so that he was resting in her neck. She kept one hand on his head, and one on his back, stroking it.

"You love being the little spoon, don't you?", she asked him softly.

He nodded. "Always," he said.

"My big baby," she said playfully. "Do you remember the nights when I would come over to your house, and we'd go up to your room, lock the door, and cuddle in your bed?"

He smiled just thinking about it. "Of course," Lincoln said. "It was always so hard to keep my sisters out, too. I think they may have peeped through the hole in the door a few times."

Ronnie Anne chuckled. "Those were good times," she said. "Now look at us. We have our own apartment, jobs, we're married, and we have a baby."

"I know, it's crazy," Lincoln said. "It seems like just yesterday we were eleven and you were calling me a 'Lame-O'."

Ronnie Anne smirked. "You still are a Lame-O, but you're  _my_ Lame-O," she said playfully.

He smiled and gave her a kiss.

Before he could say anything, they heard the sound of crying.

They turned towards the nursery, then looked at each other. "Duty calls," Lincoln said. "Wanna do it together?"

"Of course," Ronnie Anne said.

The both of them got up.

"Hang on, baby, Mommy and Daddy are coming!"

* * *

Three A.M.

That was the time of night when most would be asleep, others would be coming home from parties.

Some, would be awake with a crying infant.

Ronnie Anne awoke from the cries of her newborn daughter. Her body limp from exhaustion, her eyelids refusing to open.

She rolled over, facing the small bassinet next to her bed. Lexi laid there, her face red as her little lungs cried as loud as they could.

Ronnie Anne sat up slowly, propping herself up on her elbows. She looked over at her daughter, throwing her head back in frustration.

She looked at her husband next to her. He had his pillow wrapped around his head, his eyes also filled with exhaustion.

Ronnie Anne looked back at Lexi, reaching down to slowly pick her up from the bassinet. She sat up, and laid Lexi on her shoulder.

"What do you want?", she asked. "I don't know what you want!"

Lincoln opened his eyes, and looked over at her. "Ronnie Anne…don't yell at her," he said, reaching out to grab Lexi.

Ronnie Anne shook her head. "I'm sorry, I just…", she said, tears forming in her eyes. "I don't know what else to do, Lincoln! She's been fed, changed, she doesn't have gas."

Lincoln looked down at the baby in his arms. "I know, I'm frustrated too," he said, rocking her. "I haven't slept in three days, I feel like I'm dying," his lips started to quiver. "And I think I just to need to cry too."

Ronnie Anne scooted over to him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. "We can all cry together," she said.

Lincoln wiped his eyes. "I don't know how my parents did this eleven times, I really don't," he said.

"They got through it, and we will too," Ronnie Anne said, wiping her eyes too.

They looked down at their daughter, who was no longer crying, but whimpering. Her little mouth quivering with every sound that escaped from her mouth.

Lincoln put Lexi over his shoulder, and began rocking her back and forth. He laid his head on hers, and rubbed her back.

"Shh, shh, it's okay," he said, soothingly. He laid her in his lap, caressing her face. "Will you go to sleep for Daddy? Please?"

The infant looked up at him, her eyes still wide awake.

Ronnie Anne slid down on her pillow. "She's a baby, she does what she wants."

Lincoln sighed. He knew that there had to be some way he could get his daughter to sleep. He was the "Man with a Plan" after all.

He laid back on his pillow, taking Lexi and laying her face down on his chest. "I remember my mom used to do this to me when I couldn't sleep," he said, rubbing the baby's back. "It worked for my sisters, too."

Ronnie Anne rolled over, watching them.

Lexi's cries became softer, her face turning back to a soft pink.

Ronnie Anne smiled as she watched her, offering her index finger to the baby. Lexi grabbed it, gently squeezing it as much as her little hand would let her.

She watched as Lexi's eyelids began to flutter, a bit of drool coming out of her mouth as she began drifting off to sleep.

Lincoln looked at her face. "She's asleep isn't she?"

Ronnie Anne nodded.

Lincoln got up slowly, trying his best not to wake her. As he tried to put her in her bassinet, he noticed that she had a grip on his shirt.

He sighed, putting her back on his chest. He turned to Ronnie Anne. "It wouldn't hurt if she just slept with us for one night, right?"

Ronnie Anne shook her head. "No, I guess not."

Lincoln slipped back into bed, Lexi still stuck to his chest. He pulled the covers over the both of them slightly, just enough to cover her legs.

He rolled over, and Ronnie Anne scooted in closer, putting Lexi in between them.

They both gave the baby a kiss on the head. Letting their eyes close as they could finally rest.

"Good night my little monkey," Lincoln whispered before drifting off.

* * *

_Bzzt_   _Bzzt_

"Alright, alright, I'm coming," Lincoln said, wiping his eyes as he trudged to the front door.

His hand grabbed the knob, almost forcing the door open.

"Linky!"

He almost toppled over, as he was greeted by his twelve year old sister, Lily.

He looked down at her, then up again to see his mom standing there with his five younger sisters.

Rita stepped forward and threw her arms around his neck. "Oh, my boy, you don't look so good," she said, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

He hugged her back. "I haven't slept in three days," he said. "What are you guys doing here?"

She looked at him, taking her hand and rubbing the side of his face. "Oh, the girls wanted to see Lexi," she said. "I tried to call, but got no answer. I figured you two were tired so I was going to leave it alone, but they insisted."

"Are you okay, Linky?", Lola asked, looking at his tired face in concern.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he said. "The baby hasn't slept much the past few days, it's been hard on me and Ronnie."

"Oh, my poor baby," Rita said, rubbing Lincoln's hair. "Tell you what, how about the girls and I watch Lexi for you today, so that you two can get some rest?"

"You don't have to do that, Mom, really," Lincoln said. "We can do it on our own."

"Oh, I know you can," Rita said. "But it's okay to ask for help every once in awhile. Besides, she's my granddaughter, I want some time with her too."

Lincoln looked at her, then at all of his sisters. Their smiles sinking into him.

"Okay, you can watch her," he said. "She's asleep in there with Ronnie right now, so it may be awhile."

"That's okay, the girls and I can hang out in here," she said, turning around to look at them. "Hanging out _quietly_."

The five girls nodded.

"We'll be on our best behavior, Mother," Lisa said. "Though, I do not think you'll have to worry about me, as I do not cause much disturbance."

Lola turned to her. "What makes you say that? As if you're not always doing experiments," she said, crossing her arms.

"You're one to talk, Lola," Lana started. "You're always talking on your phone so loud."

"Uh hello, how else am I supposed to get all the latest gossip on my pageant competitors?!"

The girls began to fuss, Lucy and Lily watching in frustration.

Their mother clapped her hands. "Girls, girls!", she said. "Keep it down, or you'll wake the-"

She was interrupted by the sound of crying coming from another room.

"See Lisa? Look at what you did!", Lola said. "You made Lexi cry!"

"I believe that was Lana's fault," Lisa said.

"My fault?!", Lana said. "You started it!"

"Hey, that is  _enough_ "

The girls looked to see Lincoln, and very angry Ronnie Anne standing there.

"You come into my house, and you wake up my baby, knowing that she needs her sleep," Lincoln said. "You know I love you all, but that is so immature."

"I agree with Lincoln," Ronnie Anne said, trying to soothe the crying baby in her arms.

The girls looked down at their feet.

"I-I'm sorry, Lincoln," Lisa started. "I shouldn't have said what I did, that was wrong of me."

"I'm sorry too," Lola said. "I just came here to see my niece, not fight with my sisters."

"I'm also sorry," Lana said. "I hope you can forgive us, Lincoln."

Lincoln took a deep breath. "Of course I do, I always will," he said. "I'm your brother, not your dad, so I won't scold you anymore. Just please, don't come over unless you can respect the people who live here."

"Agreed," said the girls.

"Okay, now let me have that baby," Rita said, holding out her arms.

Ronnie Anne gladly handed Lexi over, breathing a sigh of relief.

"Hi baby girl," Rita said, bouncing Lexi. "Now, I want to see both you in bed, right now. Don't worry about her, she's in good hands."

Lincoln and Ronnie Anne nodded. "I know, Mom," Lincoln said. "We'll see you guys in a few hours.

They headed off to their bedroom, leaving Rita and the girls alone with Lexi.

"Lemme see, lemme see!", Lily said, bouncing up and down.

"Calm down, Lily," Rita said. "Go sit down on the couch, and I'll let you hold her."

Lily happily ran over to the couch, and sat down, putting her arms out. She giggled happily as Lexi was placed in her arms. "Hi, baby," she said. "You love your Aunt Lily don't you?"

The baby rubbed her face, and yawned.

"I take that as a 'yes'," Lily said.

"She seems like a good baby," Lola said. "Why are they acting like she's a lot of trouble?"

"Well, honey, babies wake up a lot during the night for the first few weeks," Rita said. "Your father and I had to do that with all eleven of you. You just get used to it."

"Poor Linky, is he gonna be okay?", Lola asked.

Rita nodded. "He and Ronnie Anne will both be fine," she said. "Those two just need a bit of sleep, maybe some food, and they'll be fine."

"Can I make a bottle for the baby?", Lana asked.

"I don't see why not," Rita said. "The breastmilk is in the fridge, just boil some water to warm up the bottle."

Lana nodded, and headed into the kitchen.

"Babies don't do much, do they?", Lily asked.

"Not when they're this little," Rita said. "Once she gets older, you'll be able to play with her all you want."

Lily looked down at the baby in her arms. "One day, me and you will have  _lots_  of fun," she said, bringing Lexi close to her face. "We can color, and play with my dolls, and play video games."

"I bet Lincoln has that last one covered already," Lola said. "He's such a nerd."

"Yeah, sometimes I miss him living with us," Lily said.

"Me too, dear sister," Lisa said. "But he wants to have his own life just like everyone else, and I respect that."

Lily frowned as Lexi started to cry. "Oh no, what did I do?"

"You didn't do anything, sweetie," Rita said, she's just hungry. Lana, where's that bottle?"

"Coming!", Lana said as she came into the room. She handed the bottle to Lily.

Lily grabbed the bottle from her hand, and gave it to Lexi. The baby accepted the bottle, and began drinking away.

"Aw, such a good baby," Lily said.

Lola sat down next to her. "I wanna burp her."

Lily handed her the baby, and Lola put a cloth over her shoulder. She put Lexi on her shoulder, and began patting her back.

Lexi let out a small burp, to which Lola smiled. "Good baby," she said. "And she didn't spit up this time."

Lily sniffed, and held her nose. "Ew, what's that smell?", she asked.

Lana grabbed Lexi from Lola. "Baby needs a change," she said. "I can do it."

She took Lexi into her nursery, and laid her on the changing table. She opened up the diaper, and grabbed the pack of wipes.

"Ah yeah, that's not that bad," Lana said. "I've changed worse."

She wiped Lexi's bottom, and disposed of the wipes and diaper. She put a clean one under her, and strapped it on.

"There ya go, all nice and clean," Lana said as she picked Lexi up.

She walked back into the living room, to see her sisters all sitting by the television.

"Where's Mom?", she asked.

"She's making some lunch for everyone," Lucy said.

"Oh, do you want to hold her next, Luce?", Lana asked.

"Sure," Lucy said, nodding.

Lana handed Lexi over to Lucy. Lucy looked down at her. Her little cheeks were so soft and chubby, and her fingers were curled. She saw a lot of Lincoln in her, like her hair. It was as white as snow, complete with a little orange bow.

"Lucy, are you okay?", Lily asked.

Lucy looked up at her. "Oh, yeah I'm fine," she said. "She's just so pretty."

"Yeah she is," Lola said. "Linky and Ronnie did a good job."

"Let her see her Aunt Lisa," Lisa said, holding out her hands.

Lucy gave over the baby to her, and Lisa got a big smile on her face. She never showed much emotion, but there was something about holding her nieces and nephews that just got her going.

"I love her so much," she said. "A fine little specimen."

"Did you just call my baby a 'specimen'?"

The girls looked up to see Ronnie Anne standing there, her face full of confusion.

"Hey there, sleepyhead," Rita said as she came into the room. "Feel any better?"

Ronnie Anne nodded. "Much. Thanks for coming over," she said. "I hope she wasn't too much trouble."

"Oh, she's been a little angel," Rita told her. "The girls have loved spending time with her, and I cleaned up the house a little bit."

"Oh, you didn't have to do that, Rita, really," Ronnie Anne said while moving her hand downwards.

She put a hand on Ronnie Anne's shoulder. "I wanted to," said Rita. "Trust me, I've been through this ten times, and I remember wishing I had someone to help me. It's the least I can do for my kids."

"Me? You called me your kid," Ronnie Anne said, pointing to herself.

Rita nodded. "Of course. You married my son; therefore, you are my daughter," she said.

Ronnie Anne smiled. "Thanks Rita," she said. "That means a lot."

"No problem at all, sweetie," Rita said. "I thought you two might be hungry too, so I'm making some lunch."

"Oh thank goodness. I'm starving."

They turned around to see Lincoln standing in the doorway, wiping his eyes.

"Hey, sweetie," Rita said. "You look a lot better."

"Mmm, I'm just hungry," he said.

"It'll be ready in a bit," Rita told them. "In the meantime, why don't you spend some time with your sisters."

Lincoln and Ronnie Anne moved to the couch, leaving Lily between them. Lily wrapped her arms around Lincoln, squeezing him tight.

"I miss you, Linky, I hope you know that," she said.

His face softened, and he stroked her hair. "I miss you too, Lilster," he said. "You know what? Once the baby gets a bit older, you should come and spend the night here with us."

Lily's face lit up. "Really?!", she exclaimed. "I'd love that so much!"

Lincoln nodded. "Yeah, I'd love it too," he said. He looked over at Lisa, who was still holding Lexi in her arms. "Aw, look at you, Lis."

Lisa blushed. "I'm just holding a baby, nothing special," she said.

"But you're smiling, and rocking her," Lincoln said. "You're a really good Aunt, you know that?"

"Oh, don't be so modest," Lisa said. "I'm merely here to check on her well-being."

Lincoln raised a brow. "And how is she?"

Lisa looked up at him, trying to hide her smile. "She's just fine."

"Here ya go guys," Rita said. " I made everyone a grilled cheese."

"Ah, sweet!", Lincoln said, lunging for the plate. "Thanks, Mom."

"You're welcome," she said. "Now while you kids eat, I get to spend time with my grandbaby."

Lisa handed over the baby, as she got up to grab her food.

"You're such a pretty girl," Rita said to the baby. "You look just like your daddy when he was your age."

Lincoln felt his ears turn red as he tried to ignore his sisters' giggles. "Aw Mom, no need to get sappy."

"I'm telling the truth, she looks just like you," Rita said. "It makes me wonder if she'll have freckles, too."

"She is pretty isn't she?", Lola said. "Just like her Aunt Lola," she said while flipping her hair.

"I think she's ready for a nap," Rita said, kissing the baby's head. She went over to the swing, and gently placed Lexi in it.

She flipped the switch, and watched as it started to swing back and forth.

"So, what have you been up to, Lincoln?", Lana asked.

"Well, I have to go back to work in a couple days. They let me take a week off of work to help with the baby," he started. "I do have this drawing I'm working on." He reached under the seat cushion and pulled out a sketch pad. "It's for a comic I plan on starting." He opened it up, and showed it to his sisters.

"Aww!", they said in unison.

The drawing was of him and Ronnie Anne, as their eleven year old selves. They were holding hands and blushing.

Ronnie Anne grabbed it from him, and stared at it, a big smiled going across her face. "Lincoln, were you hiding this from me?"

"Well…in a way, yes," he said. "I didn't want to show you yet, but I thought now would be a good time."

"What is this?", she asked.

"It's about our friendship, our love story," he said. "I thought starting with our first kiss was a good spot."

She laughed. "You mean the time you kissed me at Jean Juan's French-Mex Buffet?", Ronnie Anne said.

"Yeah, hah, I count that as our first kiss," Lincoln said.

"You're such a dork," Ronnie Anne said. "I'd kiss you right now, but your sisters are staring at us."

He looked to see his sisters looking at them, with big smiles on their faces.

Lincoln rolled his eyes. "You guys will never change, I swear."

Rita stood up. "Alright girls, I think it's time we head home," she said. "Say goodbye to your brother and Ronnie Anne."

Lily came up first and hugged Lincoln and then Ronnie Anne. "Bye Linky, bye Ronnie," she said. "Thanks for a good day."

Lincoln ruffled her hair. "No problem, Lilster," he said. "We can videochat later if you want."

"Okay!", Lily said, cupping her hands together.

Next, Lisa came up.

"You know I'm not much for hugs, but"

She surprised Lincoln by pulling him into a hug. "You're my only brother, and you're a magnificent Dad," she said. "You deserve it."

He hugged her back. "Thanks Lisa," he said. "That means a lot to hear you say that."

Lisa pulled back, and gave Ronnie Anne a hug too. "If you ever need a doctor on short notice, you know who to call."

Ronnie Anne hugged her back. "Thanks Lisa," she said. "No experimenting on her though, okay?"

Lisa sighed. "I expected that," she said. "No need to worry, I shall respect your wishes."

Lola came up and wrapped her arms around Lincoln. "Bye, Linky," she said. "I love you."

"I love you too, Lola," he said, kissing her hair.

She pulled back and turned to both Ronnie Anne and Lincoln. "If you ever decide to put her in pageants, you know where to find a coach," Lola said.

"Thanks, Lola," said Ronnie Anne. "We'll keep that in mind."

"And if she ever wants to learn how to make mud pies, then you know who else to call," Lana said.

Lola rolled her eyes. "Lexi wants to do pageants, Lana," she said. "Not make mud pies."

"I don't see why she can't do both?", Ronnie Anne said. "Now where's my hug?"

Lana and Lola wrapped their arms around her. "Bye Ronnie Anne, we love you!"

"I love you guys, too," she told them.

"Bye, Lincoln," Lucy said appearing next to him.

He jumped back. "Ah! Lucy! Please stop doing that," said Lincoln.

"Sorry, Lincoln," she said. "I just wanted to say goodbye, too."

"Bye, Lucy," he said. "Love you."

A small smile formed on her face. "Love you, too."

"Alright, girls," Rita said, motioning them to come to the door. "Time to go now."

They all waved goodbye as they headed out the door.

"Bye guys," Rita said, blowing them a kiss. "Take care of yourselves, and that baby."

"We will," Lincoln said. "Thanks, Mom."

They heard the door close, and Lincoln leaned back on the couch, lifting his arms above his head. "Man, it was really good to see them."

"I bet," Ronnie Anne said, turning to him and propping her arm up. "Bobby said he and Lori want to bring their kids over sometime to visit."

"That'll be nice," Lincoln said. "I haven't seen them in awhile, it'll be fun."

"So…," Ronnie Anne started, moving her fingers closer to his. "About this comic?"

Lincoln sighed. "It was for our anniversary, but I think I already gave you the perfect present."

Ronnie Anne raised a brow. "What was it?"

He nodded his head towards the swing.

She looked over to their sleeping daughter, watching the swing go back and forth.

Ronnie Anne felt her eyes start to water. "She is perfect," she said, wiping her eyes. "You need to stop getting so cheesy on me."

He grabbed her hand. "Isn't that why you married me?"

She leaned forward and kissed him. "No, I married you because  _I love you_."


End file.
